TargetHole Cube - Shooting target with electronically controlled aperture disc

ABSTRACT

Electronically controlled target in the form of metal cube that has rotating disc with different aperture sizes 5 and more holes to cover the hit plate of the target for different difficultness to hit the target by the air gun, air rifle or firearm projectile designed to be used for long distance shooting (min 20 yards to max 200 yards). This device will indicate hit by flashing light or on the 2 way RF remote control device by showing exact count of hits to the shooter. This device is fully controlled by the shooter with wireless remote control, shooter does not have to walk to the target to change its hole size. Made from mostly steel and aluminum durable enough to withstand the hits of a projectile. Includes electronic components to control this unit remotely and if needed locally as well. Powered by the battery or solar system.

BACKGROUND

Changing of the shooting target size at specific distances is complicated and time consuming due to the fact that shooter needs to walk to the target to do this. This invention is going to help shooter practice their precise shot placements without often trips to the target to change its size. Target size will get change by the shooter remotely with RF (radio frequency) remote control.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned earlier, this is the electronically controlled target that has an aperture disc to change the size of the hole that bullet or pellet will travel through before it hits the internal component that will indicate the hit. Shooter will see from the distance (indication light will become to be lit) or on his remote control all hits. Aperture disc has 5 or more holes with several different sizes (1MOA at specific distances). Remotely or locally controlled rotation of the disc will index different sizes of the disc holes with the click of the button located on the remote control or local (mounted on the target) push button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows cross-section of shooting target with electronically controlled aperture disc “TargetHole Cube” and front section (technical projection in front of the target box).

FIG. 2 illustrates Bigger Cross-section of the target box “TargetHole Cube”

FIG. 3 presents Bigger illustration of front section of the target “TargetHole Cube” front compartment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

“TargetHole Cube” is what I call my electronic target designed for shooters that precisely shoot either PCP air rifles or firearm rifles. The main idea is to have this target located at longer distances and without going to the target changing its size using the remote control. Remote control is communicating with this target electronic components through the RF (radio frequency) signals and lets the shooter change the aperture size that covers the internal hit plate to make shoots to be more difficult. Shooter can change the size of the hole that he/she will be shooting at from the long distance without walking to the target. This target “TargetHole Cube” will inform the shooter if the hit plate was shot with either a strobe light that can be easily seen from the distance or a siren or even some sort of a rocket launcher that can be connected to the back of the target via port H shown on the sketch.

Additionally more advanced version of the same target “TargetHole Cube” will be also capable of showing the counts of the shots, hits, and calculating them for several shooters that will be added to the game on the more advanced remote control. This remote will indicate all of that mentioned above on the LCD/OLED display. Shooter also will be able to use remote control to turn on the LED light that will lit the shooting plate for better target acquisition especially at night. Remote control will have several buttons or buttons and LCD screen or touch screen and buttons to control this electronic target; spin of the target aperture disc (by touching different buttons shooter will be able to control precise movement of the disc either way with single step or preprogrammed amount of steps control), lights, and game variables like number of the shooters, stats of the shots, battery level, time delay for remote light indicator etc. This target box is mainly made with metals like steel and aluminum and has to be durable enough to withstand the shot of 22LR caliber firearm ammunition. The idea is to have few versions of the same design one for Airgunners and other for the firearm shooters. The target that is designed for firearm shooters that will be using 0.22LR ammo is made with thicker steel and the sizes of the aperture holes are different then that one that is designed for the air rifle shooters. For 0.22LR there are 6 holes in the sizes of 1 MOA each but for different distances (25, 50, 75, 100, 125 & 150 yards). Aperture disc size and the sizes of the holes and their amount can be different if customer will order so called “special order or custom design” prepared for the shooter for his/her needs.

LIST OF THE MARKED ELEMENTS

A—compartment where bullets/pellets will hit the plate that indicates hits. This compartment contains; LED light B1 mounted to a shaft support plate B2, aperture disc D with all mounts and shaft B3 connected to timing belt idler pulley R that is connected to the stepper motor F by the timing belt B4 and small pulley bearing B5, will capture all the bullets/pellets debris that latter will be disposed through the openings E located on both sides under the compartment. Inside of this compartment there is also cover L that protects all internal elements like stepper motor pulleys with timing belt, shaft etc.

B—Hit plate that will be moving after each hit and coming back to its original position. Movement of this plate will activate electrical switch B6

B1—LED light that can be turned on/off by the switch I located in the back panel Z of the target cube. LED can be also operated remotely by the RF remote control T.

B2—support of hit plate B

B3—shaft

B4—timing belt

B5—small timing pulley

B6—electrical switch

B7—shaft B3 support plate

C—shaft mount, attached to the aperture disc D

D—aperture disc

E− disposal openings with the disposal tray underneath

F—stepper motor

G—battery

H—hit indicating light outlet

I—LED switch

J—power switch

K— power charger outlet

L—internal parts cover

M—RF module

N—stepper motor driver

O—computerized target controller, CPU unit

P—aperture disc movement switch (one step at the time)

Q—aperture disc movement switch (partial spin)

R—timing Belt Idler Pulley with timing belt

S—Battery Capacity Monitor

T—RF remote control

U—Digital Display of Timer Cycling Module

V—front panel with entry hole V1

V1—bullet/pellet entry hole

W housing

X—bullet/pellet travel path

Y—internal support wall that separates front compartment A with rear compartment A1

Z—rear panel

Z1—bottom panel

Target is made as a form of cube that has separate compartments for electronic control devices controlling the stepper motor, devices for remote communication, battery and other elements like timer device that will increase the flash time of the light indicating hit. Other compartment is designated for the mechanical elements of the target like: aperture disc, hit plate with the electric switch LED light and space to gather the debris of the bullet after hit. Those debris can be easily removed from this compartment due to the fact that it will be lending on the tray mounted underneath the front compartment for easy disposal. Target is designed for air gun, air rifle or firearm shooters (0.22LR bullet maximum caliber) to have fun competing with other participating shooters in the game that has the shooters, hits and other stats displayed on the LCD/OLED TFT touch screen remote control. TargetHole Cube is also designed for those that will like to practice their precise shots at variety of the distances out to 200 yards in mind. Communication between the target and remote control will be way more than this distance. 

1. The idea of using mechanical metal cube shooting target that has projectile entry hole in the center of the front cube plate that uses the rotary aperture disc with 5 and up holes (min 5 and more holes) 1MOA size at variety of the different distances (25, 50, 75, 100, 125 yards etc.) that is fully controlled by the shooter with two way communication RF wireless remote control that will count the points, show the hits for all participating shooters directly on the remote's control OLED/LED or LCD display.
 2. Metal cube electro-mechanical shooting target controlled electronically that counts the hits, with the rotary disc that changes the aperture sizes 5 and more holes that is controlled locally or remotely with the RF (radio frequency) 2 way communication remote control at long distance range up to 200 yards. 